Try out this Fake News game! See if you can spot which articles are real and which are fake.

Even the term "fake news" can be a little misleading. Fake news isn't limited to just information that is entirely made up.

Fake news: information designed to misinform, misrepresent facts, or spread fabricated information.

Fake news is nothing new. For as long as there has been information to share, there have been people who also share made-up stories and misleading news. The internet, however, makes it easier than ever to share information. So, fake news can come from anywhere, and we need to be prepared to recognize it and question our sources of information.

Chart uses survey data from a December 2016 PEW Research Center report. 

Despite all the many differences and disagreements that fake news can embody, there is one thing that most people can agree to regardless of age: fake news is a problem. From international politics to domestic elections, exerts have been investigating the degree to which fake news has impacted society. However perhaps the biggest problem with fake news in a democratic society, is that lack of clarity on exactly what the facts are prevents voters and elected officials from reaching a consensus.

Why does fake news matter?

• Erodes trust
• Builds and feeds on community divisions
• Threat to a notion of truth
• Toxic for mainstream media - all media given the same equivalence
• Makes citizens less able to make decisions based on facts
• Toxic for public discourse
• Threats to health
• Worse case scenario - fuels hate speech, leads to violence and death
• Distorts democratic processes
• Weaponizes information

Source: BBC (2018)

Artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and the uncertain future of truth.  (2019, February 14).

DeepFakes’ Powerful, Internet-Breaking AI.  (2019, April 29).

Stephanie Busari: How fake news does real harm  (2017, February). (Video length: 6:26)

Many Americans Believe Fake News Is Sowing Confusion.  (2016, December 15) 

Old, Online, And Fed On Lies: How An Aging Population Will Reshape The Internet. (2019, April 3).